the portland logbook / after hours

after hours in portland

The city gets quieter. The lights feel warmer. Everything sharpens a little.

⏱ most active hours: 10 pm – 1 am 🌊 harbor: tide somewhere between in and out ☕ caffeine: questionable decision
REC
01:13
Here is where I go when it is late and I am awake for no good reason.
Portland at night feels like a different city. Fewer voices. More glow. The working waterfront hums in the dark while Munjoy goes still and the Old Port empties out in layers. These spots are not a checklist. They are just good places to be when the clock says you should already be home.
PORTLAND, MAINE AFTER HOURS • ISO 1600
see people — dead gowns
after hours guide

Late Night Bites

  • CBG (Congress Bar & Grill)

    The place you end up when you thought you were going home but didn’t. Burgers, salty fries, and a bar that never feels rushed. Portland’s default late-night landing pad.

  • The Continental

    A neighborhood bar with “why are we still awake” energy. Cheap, loud, honest. Half the city has ended a night here without meaning to.

  • Lazzari

    Wood-fired pizza until 1 am. It’s messy, hot, chaotic, and exactly what you want when the city finally exhales. Don’t overthink it.

  • Mash Tun

    Wharf Street dive energy in the best way. A $6 burger that tastes better at midnight than it ever should. Locals know the deal.

  • Taco Escobarr

    Neon, tequila, and tacos that hit harder the later it gets. A 1 am close and the kind of crowd that makes you feel like it’s still early.

  • Off Track Pizza

    The “I need food right now” spot. Open until 1 and built for people who don’t want to talk about what they were doing before this.

  • Crown Fried Chicken

    Zero pretense. Just fried chicken on St. John when nothing else is open. Feels like a secret but everyone knows it.

  • Nosh

    Midnight burgers, big plates, and chaos. When you want real food and not another basket of freezer fries, you come here.

  • Tomaso’s Canteen

    The “I want to eat and actually stay awake” spot. Wings, loaded fries, and a crowd that feels like real Portland, not the bachelorettes.

  • Boda (late-night skewers)

    When you want something better than bar food. Skewers, cocktails, and the quiet hum of a kitchen that knows people get hungry after 10.

Destination — oshima brothers